Lenape Spelling System

We have been trying to perfect the easiest orthography possible to use in spelling Lenape words. It is mainly a phonetic alphabet, that is, each letter has only one sound. The alphabet is as follows:

a - ch - e - h - i - k - l - m - n

o - p - s - sh - t - u - w - x - y

The following are the vowels, all the rest are consonants:

a - e - i - o - u

The vowels are further divided by the use of accent marks. The accent marks are only to show vowel quality, and once you have learned the word, they need not be used in normal writing.

a - à - e - è - ë - i - ì - o - ò - u - ù

The accent marks used are:

` = used to show a variant pronunciation of a vowel

ë = used on -e- to show that it is the neutral vowel

' = used to separate two sounds which would otherwise be pronounced differently if they were together

Vowels

Vowel

Lenape Word

English Translation

Comments

a

ahas

crow

like the -a- in English "father"

hatapi

bow

à

làpi

again

like the -u- in English "cup"

ntàpi

I am here

e

eyok

they go

like the -a- in English "fate"

newa

four

è

wèmi

all

like the -e- in English "net"

tèpi

enough

ë

ntëmpëm

my brain

like the -a- in English "sofa"

sëke

it s black

i

ila

warrior

like the -i- in English "machine"

nitis

my friend

(this word is used only by a man speaking of another man)

ì

kìtkil

he is huge

like the -i- in English "it"

kìtpùl

industrious person

o

konait

perhaps

like the -o- in English "open"

shohpe

shore

ò

òk

and

like the -o- in English "for"

òkwës

fox

u

hus

bucket

like the -oo- in English "fool"

chusku

he wades through the water

ù

hùkòn

pot-hook

like the -u- in English "pull"

tùkwim

black walnut (the nut only)

Consonants

Consonant

Lenape Word

English Translation

Comments

ch

chinkwe

bobcat

like the -ch- in English "church"

chimhe

he rows a boat, or, he paddles a canoe

h

hàkhàkw

bottle

like the -h- in English "hand"

hàtës

sinew

k

ku

no

like the -k- in English "hawk"

kwis

your son

l

lòkëwe

yesterday

Like the -l- in English "lip" (This -L- sound in Lenape comes at the beginning of a word or in the middle of a word between vowels or before the consonants -h- or -x-)

lukàt

flour (made from wheat)

l

òl

egg

This -L- sound in Lenape comes at the end of a word or in the middle of a word before another consonant, except -h- or -x-. There is no equivalent sound in English, (this -L- is voiceless). If you feel your throat when pronouncing the -L- in the English word 'lot' you will feel a vibration. This is voicing. Now, start to say 'lot' but just let the air pass over your tongue with no vibration of the vocal cords. This is the sound of the voiceless -L-

ashëwìl

he swims

(the voiceless -L-)

m

mitkëm

pole

like the -m- in English "met"

mùxul

canoe or boat

n

nux

my father

like the -n- in English "net"

ni

I or me or my

s

sànkwe

weasel

like the -s- in English "sick"

sipu

stream

sh

shëwàn

it is salty

like the -sh- in English "shoe"

shiki

it is pretty

s'h

ans´ha

dip it up

like the -s- + -h- in English "kiss her"

t

tòke

it is soft

like the -t- in English "ten"

tëme

wolf

w

wil

head

like the -w- in English "work"

wikhè

he builds a house

x

xanikw

squirrel

like the -ch- in German "kochen"

òxe

it is daylight

y

yuh

alright or okay

like the -y- in English "yes"

yukwe

now

Special Consonant Combinations

Letters

At the beginning of a word

At the end of a word, or in the middle of a word before a vowel or before -h- or -x-

In the middle of a word before any consonant except -h- or -x-

m + p

like the -b- in English "back" Lenape Example: mpa = I come mpisun = medicine

like the -mb- in English "ember" Lenape Example: hèmpës = shirt

like the -mp- in English "hemp" Lenape Example: aonhèmpse = she has a blue dress

n + ch

like the -j- in English "jungle" Lenape Example: nchuski = I wade nchu = friend (man speaking to man only)

like the -ng- in English "engine" Lenape Example: pënchi = he enters something through a small opening

like the -nch- in English "pinch" Lenape Example: mpënchtunèna = I put my finger in his mouth

n + k

like the -g- in English "go" Lenape Example: nkata = I want nkwis = my son

like the -ng- in English "anger" Lenape Example: winkàn = it tastes good

like the -nsh- in English "kinship" Lenape Example: manshapi = a bead [note that the n + sh combination will nasalize the preceding vowel]

like the -nsh- in English "kinship" Lenape Example: panshpèkw = cantaloupe [note that the n + sh combination will nasalize the preceding vowel]

n + t

like the -d- in English "dip" Lenape Example: nta = I go ntakohchi = I am cold

like the -nd- in English "wind" Lenape Example: ènta = when

like the -nt- in English "winter" Lenape Example: këntka = you dance

Stress

In Lenape the stress normally falls on the vowel in the next to last syllable, as in the words salàpòn (frybread) and tipas (chicken). If the vowel in the next to last syllable is an -ë- the stress will often be placed on the preceding syllable.

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You do not need to use accented letters or a complete word to do the search.